<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Aldera Eternal by ChildOfTheBarricade</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28464696">Aldera Eternal</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChildOfTheBarricade/pseuds/ChildOfTheBarricade'>ChildOfTheBarricade</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Original Trilogy</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alderaan, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, F/M, Fluff, Good Parent Han Solo, Good Parent Leia Organa, Hair Braiding, Hurt/Comfort, Life day, Married Life, Parenthood</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-11 00:20:41</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,823</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28464696</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChildOfTheBarricade/pseuds/ChildOfTheBarricade</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>"I just wish my family was here," Leia said softly. "That they could be with us, see you and Ben and how… happy I am. I always miss them, but the holidays make it… worse somehow."</p><p>"'Course they do," Han said gruffly. "It's all about family and bein' together. And you're missing a huge part of that."</p><p>"But I have a family right here."</p><p>Han shrugged. "So? I miss Chewie and he's only a few systems away. Stop beatin' yourself up for bein' a person, Leia."</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Leia Organa/Han Solo</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Hanleia Holiday Exchange 2020</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Aldera Eternal</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/friskynotebook/gifts">friskynotebook</a>.</li>



    </ul></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Vur Amatias saw the pair coming a mile off. One tall, a little scruffy, a blaster strapped to his hip, walking with a swagger. The other tiny, his face framed in a halo of wild dark hair and munching on dried Jogan fruit while he talked animatedly to his father.</p><p>"Daddy, how much further?" Ben was whining, dragging his feet as they walked.</p><p>"It's right up there," Han pointed.</p><p>Ben followed his gaze thoughtfully. "And they have… Things from Mama's home?"</p><p>"Right," Han nodded. "From Alderaan."</p><p>Ben bit his lip, finishing his snack and reaching for Han's hand. "Does it make Mama sad? To have things from… her home that's not there anymore?" He asked quietly.</p><p>Han sighed. "It does. But she likes to remember it too."</p><p>Ben nodded thoughtfully. "It's complicated," he said softly.</p><p>"That's right," Han said gruffly. He was used to Leia being smarter than him. Leia was the smartest person in every room she'd ever been in, even if she didn't believe it herself. But Han had thought he'd get more than four years before his kid was smarter than him as well. He squeezed Ben's hand and led him up to the stall, giving the vendor a smile.</p><p>"Welcome to Aldera Eternal again, General Solo. And the little Prince as well," Vur said respectfully, giving Ben a small bow.</p><p>Ben gave her a shy half-smirk and gripped Han's hand a little tighter, standing on his toes to peer into the display case at the front of the market stall. The case was filled with Alderaanian jewellery and art pieces, a handful of which had been crafted prior to the planet's destruction. Most of Vur's goods had been crafted after the war by herself and other survivors, using traditional Alderaanian materials where they could. </p><p>"What's this, Daddy?" Ben asked loudly, pointing to an extremely fine chain, dotted with what Han was sure were tiny Alderaanian opals.</p><p>"Why don't you ask Madam Amatias?"</p><p>Ben blushed and pressed his face into Han's hip, shaking his head.</p><p>"He's shy," Han shrugged in apology, gently running his hand through Ben's hair. "Is it jewellery?" He asked.</p><p>Vur nodded. "For a woman's hair. A loved one braids it into the hair. It's a very intimate gift. It's traditionally worn on the Winter Solstice."</p><p>"It's for Mama's hair for her Winter holiday," Han told Ben, trying to get him to show his face again. "Do you think she'd like that?"</p><p>Ben turned his head slightly, still pressed tightly into his father's side. He nodded. "From you. Her hair is special, Dad."</p><p>Han smiled. "I know, kid. We'll take it, Vur."</p><p>Ben stretched up on his toes again to look at the other items in the stall while Han started to pay. Eventually, he tugged at the corner of Han's jacket until he bent down so Ben could whisper in his ear. "Can you ask if she has any pictures of Mama's home?"</p><p>"You wanna get her a picture?" Han asked, picking Ben up and settling him on his hip so he wouldn't put his back out trying to hear him.</p><p>Ben shook his head. "I wanna draw one. But… I don't know what it looks like."</p><p>Vur smiled at them. "I have a holo-chip with footage from the Palace at Aldera, where the Princess grew up. It was made for tourists to take home," she said, grabbing the chip from the display and slipping it into a small holo-projector.</p><p>Ben stared at the projection, watching as it showed the halls of the palace, its gardens, its galleries and its living spaces. "Mama lived there?" He asked in a whisper.</p><p>Han nodded. "She grew up there."</p><p>Ben watched for a while longer before looking Vur directly in the eye and confidently saying. "We'll take it."</p><p>———</p><p>"What is the difference 'tween Life Day and Winter… um… Saltstice?" Ben asked as he carefully picked Bith beans out of his dinner. </p><p>Leia gave him a small frown. "It's rude to pick at your food, Ben. Daddy worked hard making it. And I don't know how you can possibly even taste the beans through the spice," she said, getting up to fill her glass of water again.</p><p>"Is it too spicy for you, kid?" Han asked, trying not to laugh at Leia as she dabbed at her sweaty brow, her cheeks flushed. She always insisted that he use traditional spices in his cooking, but Alderaanian and Corellian cuisines were literally worlds apart, and she could never handle the spice.  </p><p>Ben shook his head. "No. It's good, Dad. Just not these green guys," he said, prodding the beans. "I think it's too spicy for Mama," he added, trying to stifle a giggle.</p><p>"It is not," Leia said stubbornly, sipping at her water. "Winter Solstice was celebrated on Alderaan in the middle of the Winter season. It's… It was to honour the beauty of our planet and the gifts it gave us," she explained.</p><p>Ben bit his lip. "I'm sorry, Ma," he said quietly.</p><p>Leia smiled softly and reached across the table to touch his cheek. "No, love. You don't need to be sorry. We still celebrate the holiday to remember Alderaan and the people we had there. It makes me a bit sad sometimes, but that's okay."</p><p>Ben nodded, thinking some more. "And Life Day is Chewie's holiday, right?"</p><p>"It's a Wookiee holiday," Han nodded. "But people do it all over now. Life Day's about bein' with your family. That's why Chewie always goes home for it."</p><p>"I miss Chewie," Ben pouted. "He's my family too."</p><p>Han reached over the table to ruffle his hair. "I know. But he spends Life Day on Kashyyyk. He'll be back soon. Now hurry up with your dinner so we can put the tree up."</p><p>———</p><p>Leia sat on the sofa, nursing a glass of wine and looking very amused as Han and Ben wrestled with their Life Day tree, needles from its branches falling incessantly onto the floor, Han grumbling under his breath in Corellian.</p><p>"Daddy, I know that those are swear words," Ben said dramatically, climbing out from under the tree to take a break and catch his breath, needles tangled in his hair. Leia did her very best not to laugh. </p><p>Without a four-year-old in the way, Han had a little more luck and finally got the tree upright and stable. "There," he said happily, taking a step back to look at his handiwork. "Looks great, huh, kid?"</p><p>"Can you please remind me, Han, why there is a live tree in my living room?" Leia asked with a smirk, pulling Ben over to try and clear his hair out.</p><p>"It's to remember the Tree of Life, Ma," Ben said, outraged that she'd apparently forgotten. "On Kashyyyk."</p><p>"Are you telling me that Chewie's family also have a tree inside their house?"</p><p>"Honey, they live in a tree," Han said drily. "Come on, Ben, we've gotta get these lights up. And we've got the Orb to put on the top. It's traditional." </p><p>"How 'bout you do the lights and I put the Orb up, Dad?" Ben suggested, wriggling a little as Leia persisted with his hair. </p><p>"Fine," Han grumbled, getting to work.</p><p>"I don't know why Daddy is so cranky," Ben whispered loudly, batting Leia's hands away and crawling into her lap, evidently unaware that he was also extremely cranky.</p><p>Leia pulled him close, holding his head to her chest and gently running her fingers through his wild hair. The small boy relaxed in her arms, his thumb sneaking up to settle in his mouth. He was exhausted. He'd barely slept a full night all week, and as Han was on leave, he'd insisted on dealing with him each time a nightmare woke him up. </p><p>"Daddy's always grumpy when Chewie's away," Leia said, smiling fondly at Han as he draped string lights around the tree. </p><p>"I miss Chewie too," Ben mumbled around his thumb. </p><p>Han cleared his throat and pulled their Life Day Orb from its box. "Wanna help me put this on top, Ben?"</p><p>Ben nodded and climbed down from Leia's lap, reaching for the Orb. </p><p>"Here, I'll lift you up and you can do it," Han said, moving to pick him up.</p><p>Ben folded his arms and stamped his foot crossly. "I can do it myself, Dad."</p><p>Han stepped back and rolled his eyes. "You can't reach up that high, kid."</p><p>"I don't have to reach," he said, snatching the Orb from his father.</p><p>"Ben," Leia scolded. "Don't snatch and don't talk to your father like that."</p><p>Ben frowned at the floor. "Sorry, Dad. But I don't need help," he said, taking a few steps back from the tree.</p><p>Han was about to reply, but quickly settled for watching silently, his mouth agape, as Ben carefully levitated the Orb up onto the top of his tree, his tongue sticking out while he concentrated. Once he was sure it was settled, Ben let go of the Orb and grinned up at Han. </p><p>"See?"</p><p>"You are not supposed to do that," Leia said gently, not even unhappy herself, but knowing Luke had told the boy a thousand times he wasn't to use the Force just to make his own life easier.</p><p>"I bet Uncle Luke is doing the 'sact same thing at his house right now," Ben said smugly.</p><p>———</p><p>"You've been quiet," Han observed as he handed Leia a mug and sat on the sofa beside her with his own, slinging his arm over her shoulders.<br/>
"What's this?" She asked, clutching the mug between her hands and lifting it to take a sniff.</p><p>Han smirked, glad she'd asked. "Hot cocoa with Corellian whiskey and Kashyykian spices. Proper Solo Life Day fare."</p><p>Leia quickly kissed his cheek and took a sip, humming as the drink warmed her up. "Did he go down okay?"</p><p>Han shrugged. "I had to hold him. I thought he was just excited about tomorrow but I asked him and he said he's scared about havin' another nightmare. I don't blame him either. They were real bad last night."</p><p>Leia sighed and took another sip of her drink. "I'll get up with him tonight."</p><p>"No," Han said firmly. "Listen, when I'm workin' it's different. But right now I'm not and you barely get a good night's sleep on your own. I wanna be there for him."</p><p>She smiled and stretched up to kiss his jaw, the nearest part of him she could reach. "He knows you're here, Han," she said, rubbing his arm. </p><p>"Well I wanna keep it that way," he said. "So…" he prompted, absently tracing circles on her shoulder.</p><p>"So what?"</p><p>"So, you've been real quiet all day. Ben asked me what was the matter when I put him to bed. He says you didn't smile for real when we turned the lights on and that's normally your favourite part."</p><p>Leia frowned. "I did smile."</p><p>Han rolled his eyes. "You didn't smile for real. Ben calls it your Senator Smile."</p><p>She blinked at him for a moment. "I didn't know he knew the difference."</p><p>Han shrugged. "Kid knows everything. Scares me a bit, really. But that's not what we're talking about right now. What's the matter?"</p><p>Leia sighed. She pulled her legs up onto the couch and curled into Han's side, taking another sip of her drink. "I just wish my family was here," she said softly. "That they could be with us, see you and Ben and how… happy I am. I always miss them, but the holidays make it… worse somehow."</p><p>"'Course they do," Han said gruffly. "It's all about family and bein' together. And you're missing a huge part of that."</p><p>"But I have a family right here."</p><p>Han shrugged. "So? I miss Chewie and he's only a few systems away. Stop beatin' yourself up for bein' a person, Leia," he said quietly, pressing a kiss to her temple and holding her a little closer. </p><p>Leia took a deep breath and closed her eyes. "I made a speech today, for the Alderaanian diaspora, about how important it was that we still celebrate the Winter holiday, to remember everything that was. And it felt so false," she said in a whisper. Han pulled her closer to him so she was practically in his lap. "What are we celebrating? The beauty of a planet that's just pieces of dust floating around space? Coming together with a family that were slaughtered by the Empire?" </p><p>She paused and carefully dabbed at her eyes. Then she sighed, breathing in Han's scent, the warmth of his body, the comfort of his hold. </p><p>"Sometimes it seems so pointless. To fight for something that isn't there."</p><p>"It is there," Han frowned. "It's in you and every other survivor. Ben runs around singing songs from Alderaan because you taught them to him. We eat Alderaanian food every week because you made me learn how to make it. Hell, I wasn't gonna tell you this, but the other day Ben said a swear word in Alderaanian because he heard you say it once."</p><p>Leia laughed, letting her tears fall at the same time. "I hope you told him not to say it again."</p><p>Han shrugged. "I might have let it slide. I mean, the language is so fancy it doesn't sound like swearing anyway."</p><p>"Han!" She rolled her eyes, gently smacking his arm. </p><p>He smiled at her and carefully brushed the tears from her cheeks with his thumb. "I love you," he said softly, kissing her forehead.</p><p>"I know you do, hotshot," Leia smiled, reaching up to cup his face. She pulled him a little closer and kissed him, her hand wandering to the back of his neck, her fingers tangling in his hair. When he pulled away to breathe, she pressed her forehead to his, keeping him close, cocooning them in each other. "I love you."</p><p>———</p><p>If Corellian street-kids, smugglers running for crime syndicates, and rebel soldiers had one thing in common, it was that none of them had the luxury of sleeping deeply. Even after five years of so-called peacetime, Han still woke up with a start at the slightest noise or general disturbance. The current general disturbance happened to be the blankets disappearing from on top of him. </p><p>It did happen sometimes. Leia would roll over in her sleep and somehow take all of the bedclothes with her. Princesses. </p><p>Han grumbled quietly, rolling over and blindly grasping for the blankets until he accidentally brushed against her hand. She gasped and pulled away from him, whimpering softly. Han sat up, rubbing his eyes. "Leia?" </p><p>But she was still asleep. She'd pulled the blankets tightly around herself, which usually meant she was dreaming of the Death Star. Han sighed and slowly reached for her hand again. It was clenched around a handful of the blankets, and she flinched when he touched her, but didn't pull away.</p><p>"Sweetheart, it's just me. You're home," he said quietly, giving her hand a tiny shake. "Leia."</p><p>At the sound of her name again, she woke up suddenly, grabbing at Han's hand as she rolled over to press her face into the pillows.</p><p>"Hey," Han said softly, laying down beside her and pulling her close. "I'm here."</p><p>Leia let him hold her, keeping her eyes open so she could be sure she was home, with him, and not there. Her entire body shook as she fisted a hand in his shirt. "Han," she whispered. "It was so real."</p><p>"It's over," Han whispered back, kissing her. "You're home. I'm right here."</p><p>She nodded, mostly to herself, and reached one hand up to trace his face; the scar on his chin, the worry lines on his forehead, the dark circles under his eyes. "I'm sorry."</p><p>"No."</p><p>"I am," she insisted. "You need to sleep."</p><p>Han shook his head. "I don't need much sleep," he said quietly, tucking her hair behind her ear. "Do you wanna talk about it?" He asked as Leia settled against his chest. </p><p>Leia sighed. "It started on the Death Star. But then… I was at the palace w-when… When it happened. I was with them. Mama and Father," she whispered. "They were afraid."</p><p>Han held her tight, carefully running his hand through her hair. He had nothing to say. Nothing that could stop it hurting her. They would have been afraid. When a moon appeared in their sky that had never been there before. When a sun-bright green light was fired through space, directly towards them. Fast, but likely not fast enough for them to not imagine what was coming.</p><p>"I used to wish I'd been there," Leia eventually said, fiddling with his shirt. "I don't anymore."</p><p>"I'm glad you weren't there," Han said, a little gruffly, kissing her forehead. He frowned suddenly as he heard tiny footsteps in the hallway. "We're about to have company," he sighed, resting his head back on the pillows for what he suspected would be the last time for the day. Leia quickly wiped her tears away and rested her eyes closed for a tiny moment.</p><p>Seconds later, Ben raced through their bedroom door, a pile of wrapped gifts tottering in his arms. "Wake up! Wake up! It's Life Day!" He yelled, setting the gifts at the end of the bed and climbing up on Leia's side to cuddle her. He frowned slightly when he saw her. "Did you have a bad dream, Mama?"</p><p>Leia sighed and held him close for a moment. "I'm okay, love. What time is it? Is it morning? We're not opening presents in the middle of the night."</p><p>"I know," Ben said solemnly. "I've been awake for ages. I waited and waited and waited until the  chrono said six standard on it. Daddy said that was the time."</p><p>Leia yawned and gave Han a nudge. "Well if Daddy said that was the time, I guess that's the time," she said, sitting up and looking at the gifts he'd brought in. She picked one from the pile and handed it to Ben "You can have this one first. And Daddy can go make some caf."</p><p>Han grunted and nodded, stretching as he climbed out of bed. The little boy grinned, curling into Leia's side as he carefully unwrapped a plush Loth Cat toy. "We thought he might help you sleep at night," Leia explained as Ben smiled and carefully tucked the toy under his arm.</p><p>"Thanks. Can I give you my one now, Ma?" He asked eagerly, reaching for the artwork Han had helped him carefully roll up and tie a ribbon around.</p><p>"Is it something you made?" Leia asked with a smile as he handed it to her.</p><p>"Uh-huh," he said with a grin. "Daddy helped me. And Madame Vur at the market."</p><p>Leia steeled herself then. It must be something from home. She carefully pulled the ribbon off and unrolled the paper. "Oh, love," she whispered as she revealed his drawing. He'd spent hours on it, carefully matching the colours from the holo-chip they'd bought. </p><p>"It's…" he began.</p><p>"The gardens at the palace," Leia said softly, reaching for Ben.</p><p>"At Aldera," he nodded, smiling brightly as she held him. "How did you know? It doesn't look the same as the holo. It was real tricky."</p><p>Leia kissed his cheek. "Your colours are perfect, baby. It's just how I remember it."</p><p>Han had stopped in the hallway, mugs of caf in his hands, letting the two of them have their moment, but when he heard the catch in her voice, he stepped in. "He worked real hard on that," he said, handing her a mug.</p><p>"It's beautiful, Ben. I love it so much."</p><p>Ben grinned. "Now your one from Daddy," he said bossily, grabbing the small box he knew contained Han's gift.</p><p>"Maybe somebody else should have a turn opening something," Leia chuckled.</p><p>Han shook his head. "Nah, you'd better get this open. It'll take me a while to get it… set up," he said a little sheepishly.</p><p>Leia took the box and leaned over to kiss him. "Thank you."</p><p>"Don't thank me yet," he smirked as she untied the ribbon and opened the box.</p><p>"Oh, Han," she whispered, pulling out the fine chain and tracing it with her fingers. "From Vur?"</p><p>He nodded. "She said it's for Winter Solstice. And I learned the right braid."</p><p>Leia bit her lip to stop it trembling before grabbing her hairbrush from the nightstand and handing it to him. She swivelled around on the bed to sit in front of him, and he got to work on her hair, carefully untangling her sleep braid and brushing out the knots before starting on the Winter Solstice braid he'd learned. </p><p>While Han was doing her hair, Leia handed the rest of the presents out. He took a short break to open his - two new sets of trousers she'd had a Corellian tailor sew his red and gold bloodstripes into, an electricals repair kit, and a new welding gun to replace the one he'd accidentally blown up a few weeks prior.</p><p>Ben opened his gifts slowly, carefully examining each one before moving onto the next. He was thrilled with his own child-sized toolkit - Han was also thrilled he wouldn't have to share his tools anymore - and the Rebellion-era model X-Wing and Y-Wing which they let him fly around the room using the Force. Most of all, he loved the Ben-sized navy trousers that had been embroidered with Han's red bloodstripes. He'd grown out of his old ones months ago, and eagerly pulled the new ones on as soon as he'd unwrapped them.</p><p>By the time the bed was covered in ribbon and wrapping paper, and Ben was starting to complain about breakfast not existing yet, Han had finished his work on Leia's hair. "Make sure I've done it right," he said seriously as he finally pulled his hands away.</p><p>Leia stood and made her way over to her vanity. Her ratty, oversized sleep-shirt - Han's sleep-shirt once upon a time - and her tired eyes sat in stark contrast to the perfect, elaborate braid Han had woven with the chain. The opals gleamed amidst her dark hair, and her eyes gleamed back as Han wrapped his arms around her from behind. "What do you think?" He asked, meeting her eyes in the mirror. </p><p>"I think that you should give lessons. I can't even do a Solstice Braid, Han."</p><p>He gave her a half-smile and shrugged. "What can I say, Princess? I'm good with my hands."</p><p>She elbowed him and rested back in his arms for a moment, until Ben joined them and took her hand. </p><p>"I'm sorry your home is gone, Mama," he said softly, looking up at her with wide eyes.</p><p>Leia shook her head and lifted him into her arms, his long legs dangling at her sides. "Look," she said, pointing into the vanity mirror, at their reflections looking back. "That's my home, little love."</p>
  </div></div>
</body>
</html>